Whiffletree.



Nor-821,383. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

W. H, SPILLMAN 6: P. FOWLER.

WHIFFLETREE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1905.

WITWESSES IJVVEJVTORS 5 g, 5% W1 J'W (Frwt'm WT y w. @J/

are P? r oirrion WILLIAM H. SPILLMAN AND FRANK FOWLER, OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN.

WHIFFLETREE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lratentecl May 22, 1906.

A h ati n fil d November 24:, 1905. Serial No. 288,825.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. SPILL- MAN and FRANK FOWLER, citizens of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, county of Berrien, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Whiiiletrees and we declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to whiffletrees, and has for its object an improved tubular metallic article of this kind whose shape is such as to enable it to successfully resist without breakage all strains which can ordinarily be put upon it and which at the same time is more durable and lighter than a wooden one of the same strength.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a whiflletree. Fig. 2 is a perspective, on a larger scale, of a section through the center along the line 00 a: of Fig. 1.

The body of the whifi'letree is composed of two complementary portions 1 and 2, of sheet metal, so bent that when placed with their lateral edges adjacent their combined portions form a practically perfect circle and from one edge of each of which portions project, with their faces in contact, fins or ribs 1 and 2 The point 3 (shown in Fig. 2) designates the line of union of the other adjacent edges of the rounded portion. The two complementary parts are held together by a pair of hoops 4, shaped to conform exactly to the external outline at the center and which are united by a draft-lug 4 At each end a ring or hoop 5 is slipped over the piece to hold the parts in place at these points and also furnish anchorage and bearing-surface for the hooks 5, which pass through the stay-rings 5*. As thus held together the tubular body, which would ordinarily be likely to buckle together when a pull is exerted upon the ends, is reinforced by a longitudinally-extending fin or rib A, composed of the two flanges 1 and 2 and this rib being exactly opposite the side facing the direction from which the strain is exerted upon the ends imparts the necessary strength to the entire structure to resist any strain which is likely to be put on it by draft-animals ina much more efficient way and at the expense of at least one-third less weight to the whiffletree as a whole than any of the internallyreinforced metallic whiffletrees of which we are aware.

What we claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a plurality of complementary and concave sheetmetal sections having portions forming,when the adjacent edges of the complementary pieces are united, an outwardly-extending rib along its length, and a plurality of encircling hoops whereby said sections are held in place with respect to one another, substantially as described.

2. A metallic whiffletree, having in combination a plurality of concaved sections placed with their lateral edges adjacent to one another, one edge of each of said sections extending outwardly to form a longitudinal rib, and encircling hoops whereby the same are held in position with respect to one another.

3. A metallic whifl'letree, having, in combination with encircling bands, a plurality of concaved metallic blanks placed with their lateral edges in contact one with the other, one edge of each of said blanks extending outwardly from the rounded body portion of the whiflietree to form, with a similar portion of the other blank, a longitudinally-extending rib external to the remainder of the article.

4. A new article of manufacture, consisting of sheet-metal blanks stamped to concave form and placed adjacent to one another, a lateral edge of each being extended outside the concaved portion to form with the corresponding part of the other section an external longitudinally-extending rib, and binding-hoops encircling the same at intervals.

In testimony whereof we sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SPILLMAN. FRANK FOWLER.

Witnesses:

LOTTA LEE HAYToN, WILLIAM M. SWAN. 

